Fake competitions are a real problem
Social media has made it incredibly easy for anyone to set up what looks like a prize competition. Many of these are genuine, but a significant number are scams designed to collect personal data, steal money, or generate fake engagement. The good news is that fake competitions almost always have identifiable warning signs if you know what to look for.
Red flags to watch for
- No company details. If you cannot find a registered business name, company number, or business address, it is a major red flag.
- No terms and conditions. Every legitimate competition publishes clear rules. No terms means no accountability.
- No draw process explained. If the page says nothing about how or when the winner will be selected, question the legitimacy.
- Requests for sensitive information. Competitions should never ask for bank details, passwords, or National Insurance numbers to enter.
- No previous winners. If a page claims to run regular competitions but has no evidence of anyone ever winning, be suspicious.
- Too good to be true. A brand-new Instagram page giving away a £50,000 car with no explanation of funding is almost certainly fake.
- Engagement-bait tactics. "Like, share, tag 5 friends, and follow 3 pages" with no actual draw mechanism is usually just a follower-building exercise.
- Pressure to act fast. Scams often create artificial urgency. Legitimate competitions have clearly published deadlines.
How to verify a competition
- Search the company name on Companies House (gov.uk). If they are not registered, do not enter.
- Check for published terms and conditions. They should be accessible before you enter.
- Look for a winners page or previous winner announcements on their website or social media.
- Search for independent reviews on Trustpilot, Google, or competition forums.
- Check the payment method. Legitimate platforms use recognised processors like Stripe. Avoid direct bank transfers.
- Verify the website has HTTPS (padlock icon in the browser bar) for secure data transmission.
The social media trap
Instagram and Facebook are the most common platforms for fake competitions. A professional-looking post with a flashy prize photo is easy to create. Always look beyond the post itself: check the account history, follower authenticity, and whether there is a real website behind it.
What to do if you suspect a scam
If you believe a competition is fraudulent, do not enter and do not share your personal information. You can report it to Action Fraud (the UK national fraud reporting centre), the Advertising Standards Authority if it was promoted through advertising, or directly to the social media platform where it appeared. Reporting helps protect others from falling for the same scam.
What to do if you have already paid
If you have already paid into what now looks like a fake competition, act quickly. The first 24 hours give you the best chance of recovering your money. Do not engage further with the operator and do not pay any "release fees" or "winner fees" they ask for, which are common follow-on scams. Instead, work through the steps below in order.
Steps to take after paying a fake competition
- Contact your card issuer or bank straight away. If you paid by debit or credit card, ask about a chargeback under the Visa or Mastercard scheme. Credit card payments over £100 also have additional protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
- Report the fraud to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. You will receive a crime reference number, which your bank may ask for.
- Save evidence. Screenshot the competition page, any messages from the operator, the payment receipt, and any social media profile or advert involved. Save them somewhere safe before they are deleted.
- Report the listing to the platform where you found it (Instagram, Facebook, Google, or wherever the advert ran). Most have a dedicated fraud reporting flow.
- If the operator claimed to be a UK company, check Companies House and report the misuse to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice at citizensadvice.org.uk if they are not registered.
- Watch for follow-on scams. Once you have been targeted, your details may be shared with other fraudsters. Be sceptical of unsolicited "winner" notifications, recovery services, and refund offers in the weeks that follow.
Where to get free advice
Citizens Advice offers free guidance on consumer protection and fraud at citizensadvice.org.uk or 0808 223 1133. Your bank fraud team is also a free, useful first call. Do not pay anyone who promises to recover lost money for an upfront fee, which is a known secondary scam pattern.
How to enter competitions safely
Stick to established, UK-registered competition platforms with a track record of published winners and transparent processes. Our trust checklist guide walks through eight specific signals to look for, and our best UK competition websites comparison shows what those signals look like in practice. At Odds Up, we are a registered UK company with published terms, audited draws, and a winners page. Every competition shows its odds upfront and payments are handled securely through Stripe.